Index or file



WJH. DAY ET AL INDEX 0R FILE May 10, 1921. 1 1,628,124

Filed Oct. 5. 1921 Patented May 10, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM H. DAY, OF EAST HAVEN, AND CLIFFORD R. THOMAS, OF WEST HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNORS, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO RAND KARDEX BUREAU, INC, OF TONAWANDA, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

INDEX OR FILE.

Application filed October 5, 1921. Serial No. 505,658. 7

Our invention relates to indexes or files, and more particularly to a device of this character in which a base or carrier member is employed to carry a plurality of reference members or reference cards. In the particular embodiment shown, the carrier or supporting member is in the form of a drawer adapted to be used in connection with a cabinet into which it may be inserted and from which it may be withdrawn. The reference members shown are cards of the type shown in the Fisher Patent No. 1,048,- 056, granted Dec. 24, 1912.

One object of our invention is to provide an improved supporting member or drawer to carry the reference cards in a convenient and suitable manner, so that the cards will be protected against undue wear and will at the same time be readily accessible.

Another object of our invention is to provide a drawer for an index or file in which the index members may be retained in proper position.

A still further object of our invention is to provide a drawer of the character described with means for engaging the edges of the reference members or cards to protectthe same against wear.

A still further object of our invention is to provide a facing plate for a drawer of the character described, which plate may be applied to the drawer in such a way as to provide a pocket for a drawer label or the like, and which plate may be formed with means cooperating with the drawer and serving to retain the reference cards in proper position.

Generally speaking ourinvention contemplates the provision of an improved drawer of this type which may support or carry the reference members in accessible position and which may be readily made from sheet metal, so that it will be strong and durable and yet be of light weight and pleasing in appearance.

To these and other ends the invention consists in the novel features and combinations of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a supporting member or drawer embodying our improvements;

Fig. 2 is a front elevational View of the facing member secured to the body of the drawer proper;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view on line 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on line it-41 of Fig. l;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view on line 5-5 of Fig. l; I

Fig. 6 is a sectional view on line 6 6 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 7 is a sectional view on line 77 of Fig. 6.

To illustrate the preferred embodiment of our invention, we have selected to show a plurality of reference members or cards 10, provided with tongues 11 adapted to engage below the flanges 12 formed upon each side ofa guide strip 13 riveted or otherwise suitabl secured intermediately and longitudinal y of the bottom 1 of a drawer or suitable supporting member 15.

The drawer 15 may be stamped from a single sheet of material, preferably light sheet metal and, as shown in Figs. 8 and a,

the bottom thereof gradually curved upwardly along the sides at 16 and inclined gradually upwardly at the ends, as shown at 17. At the sides it is seen that the bottom of the drawer is brought upwardly to the upper side. edges and then turned downwardly at 18 to provide the sides ofthe drawer, the edges of which may be turned under at 19, as shown in Fig. 4. At the front of the drawer, the bottom is inclined upwardly, as shown at 17 to the upper front edge thereof, and then is turned downwardly to provide the front side 20.

Along each side of the drawer, guard strips 21 are provided having a curved base or body portion 22 adapted to lie snugly against the curved portion of the drawer bottom and a turned flange portion 23 adapted to extend inwardly over the edges of the cards 10. These guard strips may be suitably secured as by riveting to the drawer bottom. It will be obvious that the edges of the cards may be slipped below the flanged portion 23 of these strips and will thereby be retained within the drawer and protected against wear. The flanges 23 may be made of sufficient width so that the cards may be slipped under them to a sufiicient extent to allow the tongue upon that side to engage below the wing 12 of the strip 13 and yet when the card is moved toward the strip 13 to its proper position, the edge thereof will still be retained below the flange. It will also be apparent that the curved surface 22 upon each side of the drawer will greatly facilitate the manipulation of the cards and the sliding thereof backwardly and forwardly in the drawer as a sharp corner or joint in which the cards would tend to catch is thereby eliminated. Also the front inclined surface 17 of the bottom of the drawer greatly facilitates the insertion of the cards within and the engagement thereof with the guide strip 13.

\Ve have provided a facing memberfor the drawer consisting of a front facecstrip i 25 and a flanged portion 26 turned substantially at right angles to the front facestrip and designed to project over the upper front edgeand be secured to the upwardly sloping part of said drawer bottom by suitable means such as rivets 27. Small upwardly and; forwardly projecting ears 28 are provided, upon this facing member and will cooperate with the. bottom of the drawer in retaining the cards in proper position. The lower ends of thecards in the front of the drawer will e):- tend below these ears and will thereby be heldin proper nosition. As these cards overlap the adjacent ones, the latter will also be held in position by the ears 28. At the lower edge the facing member is slightly flanged over, as shown at 29, so that apocket open, however, at the ends, is provided for the insertion of a drawer label or the like 31. The front face 25 of this facing member may be provided with openings 32 through which characters upon the labels 31 may be displayed.

Connected to the faceplate a knob 33 by which the drawer may be manipulated. This knob is formed of sheet metal and connected to the face plate in a novel manner. As shown in the drawings, the knob is formed by stamping from a piece of sheet metal a blank of proper shape and then bending this blank to provide a broadened knob portion 33. The ends of the blank are then brought substantially together at 3a and afterward again diverged, the diverging portions being provided attheir ends with the four prongs 35 which are inserted through openings 36 in the face plate 25 and clenched onthe inside thereof. This plate 25 is provided with a shallow recess 37 stamped therein so that the clenched ends of the knob member may lie in this recess and not project beyond the inner face of the strip so as to interfere with the insertion of the drawer labels. This construction is clearly shown in Figs. 5 and The sheet of material of which the knob is formed is provided with lateral tabs 39 which, as shown in Figs. 3, 6 and 7, are bent inwardly to close the ends of the hollow portion of the knob in order to enhance its appearance.

lit will be obvious that we have provided a drawer for an index or file cabinet which may be economically manufactured in large quantities and which, because of its structure is extremely durable as well as pleasing in appearance and light in weight. it is, moreover, provided with novel means for the retention of the, reference men'ibers or cards in proper position thereupon.

lVhile we have illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of our invention, it will be understood that the same is not to be limited to the exact form shown, but is capable of modification and variation within the limits of the invention, as set forth in, the accompanying claims.

What we claim is:

1. in an index or tile, a drawer having a bottom, the edges thereof rising upwardly to form drawer sides, said drawer provided with a flanged strip to engage an intermediate portion of a plurality of index members, and means to extend over the edges of said members to prevent the projection thereof above the structure, said means be ing secured upon the upwardly rising edges of the drawer bottom.

2. In an index or file, a drawer having a bottom the thereof rising upwardly to form drawer siiilcs, said drawer having longitudinally extending means secured to the bottom thereof to engage and retain a plurality of index members therein, and an edge strip at the side of the drawer extending in wardly from the edges of said members for the purpose described, said edge strip being secured upon the upwardly rising edges of the drawer bottom.

3. In an index or file, a drawer having a bottom, the edges thereof rising upwardly to form drawer sides, said drawer provided with centrally disposed longitudinally extending means secured to the bottom thereof to engage andretain a plurality of index members therein, and additional means at the sides of the drawer to engage said members, said additional means being secured upon the upwardly rising edges of the drawer bottom.

1-. A drawer for an index or file having a substantially flat bottom. said bottom be ing curred upwardly along its side edges, means to secure a plurality of reference members thereon, and an edge strip secured to the drawer at the side edges thereof and extending over the edges of said reference members.

in an index or file, a drawer provided with a bottom member substantially flat throughout the greater part of its width but being curved upwardly adjacent the side edges, means to secure a plurality of reference members thereon, guard strips secured flatwise to the curved portions of the drawer and being doubled inwardly to provide a guard flange to overlie the edges of the reference members.

6. In a drawer for an index or file having a bottom substantially flat throughout the greater part of the width thereof but being curved upwardly adjacent lhe side edges of the drawer, means to secure a plurality of reference members thereon, guard strips se cured to the drawer bottom at the curved portions thereof and having turned flanges to overlie the edges of said reference members.

7; In an index or file, a plurality of cards provided with tongues, a drawer having a flanged guide strip with which said tongues are engaged to retain the cards thereon, an edgestrip secured to the bottom of the drawer and having a free edge thereof turned to project over the edges of the cards.

8. In an index or file, a drawer having a front facing member thereon, said member being spaced from the front face of said drawer to provide a recess, a knob member, having securing means passing through said front facing member and disposed in said recess and being formed from a sheet of material doubled upon itself, the two sheets thus formed being brought into close relation at an intermediate part of the knob member and diverged in both directions from said part, for the purpose described.

9. In an index or file, a drawer having a front facing member thereon, said member being spaced from the front face of said drawer to provide a recess, handle means, having securing means passing through said front facing member and disposed in said recess, and being formed from a sheet of material doubled upon itself to form a hollow body having the two sheets thus formed brought into close relation rearwardly of said hollow body and having tabs turned inwardly to close the ends of the hollow portion.

10. In an index or file, a drawer havin a front facing member thereon, said mem er being spaced from the front face of said drawer to provide a recess, and provided with openings, handle means being formed of a sheet of material doubled upon itself to form a hollow body and having the two sheets thus formed brought into close relation rearwardly of said hollow portion, the two sheets caused to diverge rearwardly and being provided at their ends with securing means adapted to enter said openings for attachment to said front facing member within the recess formed thereby.

11. A- drawer having two end face members, said members being spaced apart, the outer face member overlying and being secured adjacent to one of the edges of the innor member and having an inwardly directed flange in close proximity to the other edge of said inner member, whereby a pocket is formed between said members for a label or the like.

12. A drawer for an index or file having a front face, a facing for said drawer having allel to the face and substantially coextensive therewith and spaced therefrom to provide a chamber for a drawer label or the like.

1 In an index or file, a facing member for a drawer or the like including a flange,

portion adapted to be secured to the drawer and a front plate lying adjacent and parallel to the front face of the drawer and substantially coextensive therewith.

15. In an index or file, a drawer front 1 comprising a pair of members extending entirely across the front edge of said drawer, said members being spaced apart to provide a recess therebetween for the reception of a label or the like, and a knob having prongs extending through the outer of said memhere into said recess and there clenched.

16. A facing member for the front of a drawer including a front plate having a flange portion adapted to extend over the upper front edge of the drawer, said plaie being provided with openings to display a drawer label or the like.

17. A facing member adapted to be attached to a drawer, comprising, a front plate and a flange portion adapted to extend over the upper edge of the drawer and having retaining ears, for the purpose described.

18. In an index or file, a drawer having means to engage and retain a plurality of cards, and a facing member secured to the front portion thereof having flange portion extending over the front edge of the drawer and having retaining ears under which the lower edges of the cards engage.

19. A drawer having a front facing member thereon, said member being spaced from the front face of said drawer to provide a recess, and a knob secured to said member having securing means passing therethrough and disposed in said recess.

20. A drawer having two substantially coextensive end face members, said members being spaced apart and forming an openended pocket for the reception of a label or the like.

21. A drawer having two substantially coextensive end face members, said members being spaced apart and forming an openended pocket for the reception of a label or the like, the outer of said members being connected to the drawer at its upper edge and having a flange at its lower edge to close said pocket at the bottom.

22. A drawer having two substantially coextensive end face members, said members being spaced apart and forming an openended pocket for the reception of a label or thelike, the outer of said members being connected to the drawer adjacent one of its edges and having a flange at the other of its edges to close the pocket thereat.

23. In an index or file, a drawer having a bottom, said bottom rising upwardly at the front end thereof to form an upper front edge for said drawer, a member secured to the upper front edge so forn'ied upon said drawer and extending downwardly therefrom to form a front face for said drawer, and another member superimposed in front of said first-mentioned member and spaced therefrom to form a pocket therebetween for a label or the like.

24. In an index or tile, the combination of a drawer having a bottom, said bottom rising upwardly at the front end thereof to form an upper front edge for said drawer, a member secured to the upper front edge and extending downwardly tl'ierefrom to form a front face for said drawer, and another member in front of said first-mentioned member and spaced therefrom to form a recess therebetween, and a knob secured to said outer member having securing means passing therefrom and disposed in said recess.

25. in an index or file, a drawer for the purpose described, having an integral part sloping upwardly toward one of its end edges to permit ready removal of index cards from said drawer, a guide strip secured to the bottom and extending lengthwise thereof intermediate the sides of said drawer, a plurality of overlapping index cards in said drawer, each of said cards having means intermediate its side edges to engage said guide strip, and an edge strip along an edge of said drawer having a free edge thereof turned to project over the edges of the cards.

26. In an index or file, a drawer adapted to be received in a cabinet or the like and laving an integral part sloping upwardly toward one of its end edges to permit ready removal of index cards from said drawer, said. drawer being provided with an index card guide strip secured to the bottom and extending lengthwise of said drawer intermediate its sides, a plurality of index cards in said drawer, each of said index cars having a tongue formed from the body thereof for engagement with said guide strip and to be engaged by an edge of an adjacent underlying card whereby the underlying card is nested: between the tongue and the body of said, fret-mentioned card, and card edge retaining means along the longitudinal sides of said e zawer including opposed free edges turned to project over the edges of the cards.

27. In a drawer for an index or tile, an. end member adapted to extend across and form an end wall on said drawer, and another member spaced from and substantially coextensive with said first-mentioned member to form a pocket for a drawer label or the like.

28. In a drawer for an index or file, an end member extending across the front of said drawer to form an end wall thereon, another member spaced from and coextensive with the first-mentioned member to provide a pocket and an attaching portion on one of said members for securing the same to said drawer.

29. In a drawer for an index or tile, an end member substantially coextensive with the width of said drawer, and having a portion extending back over the upper edge of the front of said drawer, and a portion extending back beyond the lower edge of the front of said drawer.

30. In a drawer for an index or lilo, a part sloping upwardly from a point adjacent the bottom of said drawer toward the upper front edge thereof, and a front plate forming an end memb r for said drawer en gaging said slopingaip part.

31. In a drawer for an index or file, a part sloping upwardly from a point adjacent the bottom of said drawer toward the upper front edge thereof, and a front plate forming an end member for said drawer eugaging said sloping-up part, and another part spaced from said first-mentioned part and rearwardly disposed relatively thereto, whereby a pocket is formed for the insertion of an index slip.

32. In a drawer for an index or file, a part sloping upwardly from a point adjacent the bottom of said drawer toward the upper front edge thereof, and a front plate forming an end member for said drawer engaging said sloping-up part, and another part spaced from said first-mentioned part and rearwardly disposed relatively thereto, whereby a pocket is formed for the insertion of an index slip, said front plate having a portion extending rearwardly beneath said second-mentioned part to form a bottom for said pocket.

33. A drawer for an index or file, including in its structure Spacedapart front face portions substantially coextensive with the width of the drawer, both of said front face portions bein substantially coextensive with the height of the drawer and adapted to cooperate to form a pocket for the insertion of an index slip.

341-. In an index or file, a drawer front comprising a pair of members extending entirely across the front edge of said drawer, one of said members having label openings, said members being spaced apart to provide a recess therebetween for the reception of a label or the like, and a knob having means extending through the outer of said members into said recess and there fastened.

35. A drawer for an index or file, having a bottom with a'substantially flat portion, said bottom being curved upwardly along its side edges, means to secure a plurality of reference members thereon, and means comprising an inwardly projecting part extending longitudinally of the side edges of said drawer and overlying the edges ofsaid reference members.

36. In an index or file, a drawer having a bottom with a substantially flat portion, and a part extending upwardly from the same toward one of its side edges, means to secure a plurality of reference members upon said flat portion and a flange part extending inwardly from said upwardly extending part over the edges of said reference members.

In witness whereof, we have hereunto set our hands on the 17th day of September, 1921.

WILLIAM H. DAY. CLIFFORD R. THOMAS. 

